This collection of oral histories was recorded as part of the SisterStory project, which was launched by St. Catherine’s University in Minneapolis, MN in 2014. St. Catherine’s is one of Fontbonne’s sister schools, also founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. The project was part of the ongoing National Catholic Sisters’ Week (NCSW) campaign that seeks to increase awareness of Catholic sisters and demystify religious life.
The student-led project allowed Fontbonne students and members of the CSJ community to meet one-on-one over the course of many months, encouraging them to build relationships as they explored the questions of experience, vocation, identity, and impact that characterize the final interviews preserved here.
The SisterStory project was established as part of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s Catholic Sisters Initiative, which launched a five-year strategy in February 2013 to support the work Catholic sisters were doing around the globe. The original SisterStory website (sisterstory.org) documented the cultural and geographical diversity of the NCSW narrative and provided a place to share the sisters’ stories collected by students at partner colleges and universities like Fontbonne. The site included an online archive of the oral histories with related photos and blog posts, but is no longer live.
More information about the Hilton Foundation’s support of Catholic Sisters is available here: https://www.hiltonfoundation.org/programs/catholic-sisters
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Interview with Agnes Marie Baer
Sister Agnes Marie Baer talks with Brittany Christensen about vocation, the joys of religious life, and Vatican II.
Collection: SisterStory
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Interview with Lillian Baumann
Sister Lillian Baumann talks with Samantha Gildehaus about genealogy research, serving and caring for other retired sisters, and her love of teaching.
Collection: SisterStory
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Interview with Ida Berresheim
Sister Ida Berresheim talks with Sarah Jimenez about compassion, immigration, Fontbonne history, the value of community, and the opportunities that come with mission and ministry.
Collection: SisterStory
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Interview with Loretta Costa
Sister Loretta Costa talks with Isabel Hotop about opportunity and choice, compassion and courage, and teaching and personal ministry (and Flannery O'Connor).
Collection: SisterStory
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Interview with Kathleen Eiler
Sister Kathy Eiler talks with Alyssa Praechter about discernment, joining a religious community later in life, and the service of teaching.
Collection: SisterStory
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Interview with Paulette Gladis
Sister Paulette Gladis talks with Kelly Brooks about the history of the CSJs in St. Louis, her time in hospital administration, and the importance of partnering with lay people and associates.
Collection: SisterStory
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Interview with Donna Gunn
Sister Donna Gunn, sometimes known as Mother St. John Fontbonne, talks with Claire Gunn about vocation and service, her family's legacy at Fontbonne, and disaster relief work after hurricane Katrina.
Collection: SisterStory
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Interview with Marianne Keena
Sister Marianne Keena talks with Raven McFaddon about friendship and family, asking questions, living in community, and some of the challenges faced by women in religious life.
Collection: SisterStory
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Interview with Nancy Marsh
Sister Nancy Marsh talks with Claire Becker about her nursing work in the AIDS ministry, oncology, hospice care, and later with the women at St. Louis' Mary Ryder Home. She reflects on the charism of the CSJ's, the influence of the community at Fontbonne, the differences between orders, the meaning of her vows, and the blessings (and challenges) of a living a life in community and oriented toward God.
Collection: SisterStory
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Interview with Patricia Quinn
Sister Pat Quinn talks with Melanie Baker about the surprises of religious life, the radical changes brought about by Vatican II, and discovering the unique spirit of the CSJs.
Collection: SisterStory
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Interview with Kate Regan
Sister Kate Regan talks with June Roach about the expansion of Civil rights and the women's movement in the 60’s, leaving the habit behind, and her service as a residential pastor to a community in need.
Collection: SisterStory
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Interview with Mary Jo Ritter
Sister Mary Jo Ritter says "you can find joy in what you think you didn't want to do at all," as she talks with Elizabeth Theisen about teaching, basketball, and her experiences as a foster mother.
Collection: SisterStory
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Interview with Jean Paul Selissen
Sister Jean Paul Selissen talks with Kayla Winkler about the Second Vatican Council, the discernment process, and her personal ministry as a sister.
Collection: SisterStory
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Interview with Sandra Straub
Sister Sandra Straub talks with Amy Koncar about challenges in religious life, discerning your own call, and mariachi with the Bishop.
Collection: SisterStory
